The NEW WYMS!

If you haven't heard it yet, STOP, go to your radio, and turn on the new WYMS 88.9.
This is totally fresh. No more purchased jazz programming.
This is an eclectic mix of rock, dance, hip-hop, R&B, and new music of all sorts.
After more than three years of promising something new, the School Board has done something I never expected, they delivered.
This may be the best radio in Milwaukee. Listen for yourself, and see my comments below in "What is Happening?".

You can still visit the old Forum, but I will not put any new information
there.Old Forum.

Here
is the Story...

The Milwaukee School Board owns and operates radio station WYMS (Your
Milwaukee Schools). The station used to broadcast locally produced
children's programs, locally produced jazz programs, locally produced ethnic
programs, and in the late hours; contract jazz and electronic music. Weekend
ethnic programs were hosted by volunteers who provided their own, recorded
music. The station was funded by the School System, and subsidised by a local
nonprofit organization called "Friends of WYMS" who raised moneys through
on air fund-raisers, and some off site events.

On April 29, 2002 the Milwaukee School Board administrators and the School
Superintendent locked the door to the studio at the Milwaukee School System
Administration building and gave the paid staff their notices of termination
of employment. The many volunteers who hosted local programs were denied
access to the studio. Although the School Board is the actual owner of the
station, they were not consulted. In the following days the School administrators
had the station simulcast programming from another local public radio station,
and later hired a contract program service to provide eight to ten hours
of jazz per day, which is repeated as necessary to fill the twenty-four hour
broadcast day.

On May 20, 2002 the School Board held a special meeting to air ideas for
the disposition of the station. The meeting filled with angry listeners who
demanded to have their previous programming returned. Some School Board members
claimed the station cost too much, and the "Friends" contributions were
negligible. The Friends said that they contributed more than the School System
did. The School Board was clearly divided, and could not reach any consensus.

The School Board created a Community Advisory committee consisting of prominent
independent citizens whose mission was to find the best plan for the future
of WYMS. The Committee decided to ask that interested parties in the community
make proposals to manage the station for the benefit of the school system.
The Committee received only one proposal, and that was from the nonprofit
"Friends of WYMS" organization. The Committee recommended to the School Board
that they accept the Friends proposal, but the Board would not agree.

The School board remains divided. WYMS still is broadcasting contracted
programming. The Friends are still struggling to bring community-based
programming back to Milwaukee.

It seems to me that this comes down to an issue of control. There are
certain people on the School Board who feel they must be in control of this
radio station. It doesn't matter that this station had award winning children's
programming, or that the station was largely supported by community contributions
and run with volunteer help. Certain people on the School Board were not
in control, and they couldn't stand it.

Thursday, March 14. Radio Milwaukee has been on the air with live hosts for almost two weeks. They sound good. They are trying to carve out a unique place for themselves in Milwaukee. They present an interesting sound, and offer welcome variety to Milwaukee's stunted radio scene. But will Milwaukee support them? Radio Milwaukee really doesn't compete with any of the local commercial radio stations; instead, they are more likely to pull listeners from WUWM's World Café or the always eclectic WMSE. WUWM is well established in Milwaukee, and has shown it has a loyal listener base that can and will support them with cash. WMES has a low profile, catering to small fragments of the Milwaukee audience, but they can operate at a lower level of funding because much of their staff is volunteer. It remains to be seen if WYMS can garner an audience who will support it financially. WYMS may find that WUWM will adjust their music to appeal to more urban professionals, in order to gain their ear, and their checkbooks. I wish WYMS well, because Milwaukee radio needs the variety.

Monday, February 26. I listened to this station much of Saturday, off and on; and much of today, their inaugural broadcast day.
This station has two major flaws.
1. Although I like the great variety of music that they play, there is no focus. The music moves from classic rock, to house dance, to funk, to hip-hop, to jazzy pop, and on and on; and I have to wonder who their intended audience is. This is fun to listen to, but it is not compelling. People will not listen to this for long. If this is aimed at Milwaukee School students, it is probably too diverse for such a young audience. I would love to be proven wrong.
2. They have been on for only a few hours, and they have asked for donations because they are a non-profit radio station. Well, this is a sure sign that they will not last. Most non-commercial radio stations solicit donations from loyal listeners because they are providing a valuable service to their audience. This station has no audience, and hasn't proven that it provides a valuable service. If they can't afford to be on the air for a year while they build an audience, and community support, they are doomed.

February 24, 2007; we are witnessing the birth of Radio Milwaukee. Right now they are playing promotional programming, but it sounds good. They will go live Monday, February 26.

The Friends of WYMs have sent their members a
letter explaining that they
have declined to respond to the latest request by the School Board for a
proposal to run the station. This leaves the door open for Jeff Sherman's
group (see below) to take over the station.

OnMilwaukee.com
co-owner and Young Professionals of Milwaukee (YPM) president Jeff
Sherman is forming a group that is now emerging with a vision for the station
to program a mix of alternative, jazz and other under-represented forms of
music, particularly focusing on the local music scene.

The Milwaukee School Board releases it's revised Requests for Proposal to
run radio station WYMS. This document is curiously called
"RFP-397 WYMS Final Document - 4/22/03" (A
291KB many-page Word document.) The deadline for responses is June
4, 2003.

The Milwaukee School Board releases its
proposed budget for 2004. (This is a 1.33MB
Acrobat file) WYMS is on the last page. This document notes this:

"The community advisory board reviewed an audit completed in November
of 2002 and decided to seek an outside vendor to operate the station. The
parameters for a request for proposals (RFP) were defined. That RFP, which
requested continued Jazz programming on the station, drew only one response,
(from the Friends of WYMS) which the administration elected not to
open.

The advisory board met again in March 2003 and decided that programming
restrictions contained within the RFP - including its emphasis on jazz --
should be loosened in an effort to encourage more proposals. The RFP was
amended and reissued on April 24, 2003."

The Milwaukee School Board shows its lack of understanding by proposing a
33% salary increase for Board members while cutting teaching
positions. This demonstrates that the Board has no grip on reality and
does not understand what it means to be in a position of leadership. I expect
most 15 year olds would be able to see the error in this decision. The Board's
inept attempt to raise their own pay in these times of budget deficits and
spending cuts illustrates that they are out of touch with their constituents,
and that they are only thinking about themselves.After
3 days, MPS board rescinds its pay raise (5/2/03)School
Board expected to revoke raise at special meeting (5/1/03)School
Board slammed on pay vote (4/30/03)

At the February 27 meeting the School Board demonstrated it's paralysis once
more. Some wanted to move forward with community programming at WYMS, but
some did not. In the end, they could not decide anything except to adjourn.
See the transcript of the
meeting.

A meeting of the WYMS Advisory Committee is scheduled for Friday March 28
at 1:00pm at Central Services Room 155.

Here is an excerpt from the proceedings of the School Board meeting of January
14. My comments are in parentheses (like this).

"The Board President reported on the status of the WYMS Advisory Committee
and its recommendations and the process for soliciting requests for proposals
(RFPs) to operate WYMS. (The status is that the board asked interested parties
to submit a plan to operate WYMS, and the only plan that was presented was
the plan from the Friends of WYMS!) Director Blewett moved that the sole
response to RFP 365, Operation and Programming of MPS Radio Station WYMS
be opened for consideration, and if deemed reasonable, be accepted.

After discussion and without objection, Director Blewett withdrew his motion."

Go figure. I have been to these meetings, and I have seen this strange behavior
myself. People make motions, argue in favor of restoring the station, but
then they give up. The entire
proceeds
of the meeting are available online.

MPS has budgeted over $376,000. to run WYMS this year! Last year with their
old staff it only cost them $285,000. Where is the savings?
See
their budget.

Peter Zehren, former president of the Friends of WYMS, is now on-air fund-drive
producer at WGBO-FM, a Newark, N.J., jazz station. Eddie Pendzich is the
new Friends president.
JS Online:
SPINNING
THE DIAL - Last Updated: Jan. 16, 2003 (Scroll down.)

The Milwaukee School Board shows its lack of understanding by proposing a
33% salary increase for Board members while cutting teaching
positions. This demonstrates that the Board has no grip on reality and
does not understand what it means to be in a position of leadership. I expect
most 15 year olds would be able to see the error in this decision. The Board's
inept attempt to raise their own pay in these times of budget deficits and
spending cuts shows that they are out of touch with their constituents, and
that they are only thinking about themselves.After
3 days, MPS board rescinds its pay raise (5/2/03)School
Board expected to revoke raise at special meeting (5/1/03)School
Board slammed on pay vote (4/30/03)

Milwaukee Public Schools-Audit Services has made its reports available on-line.
These findings are from November of 2002, but still offer interesting
reading.
Review of WYMS, A Public Radio Station Operated by the Milwaukee Public Schools
November 2002 Audit # 2002-33 Executive SummaryAudit Recommendations

Support WYMS | Jazz With Bob Parlocha -
"My sincere thanks for your support over the years. Milwaukee has established
itself as a thriving jazz town in spite of the pratfalls of municipal economics.
Don't give up hope. With your support, mainstream jazz will survive." Bob
Parlocha